Point-Counterpoint
Honorable Men Discuss the Honor Code


By Keith Zeuner '98
By Kris Racette '98


Few students enrolled at Germantown Academy would honestly be able to say that they do not know of anyone who has ever cheated. Whether the dishonest acts consist of copying homework assignments or using cheat sheets on tests and examinations, cheating is certainly a problem at GA. However, while many other educational institutions have faced similar dilemmas, some of the finest colleges, universities, and secondary schools have successfully dealt with the issue of cheating by installing an Honor Code.

At one of last year's final meetings, SFAC began to discuss the feasibility of creating an Honor Code at GA. The initial reaction of the joint student-faculty group was very positive. However, those students who opposed the concept of an Honor Code at GA represented one of two arguments. The first and smaller faction argues against the Honor Code because they themselves have cheated in the past and would like to have the opportunity to cheat in the future. The second group of students who oppose the concept of an Honor Code, do so because they feel that reporting a friend or classmate to the proper authorities would create an "uncomfortable situation."

The first argument is largely groundless. Last year, Germantown Academy devised a new Strategic Plan. This compilation of ideas is a blueprint of where the students, faculty, and trustees would like to see the Academy go in the next five years. The ultimate goal for the new Strategic Plan is to make GA one of the finest educational institutions in the country. While such a mission is ambitious to begin with, GA will never reach its objective if members of the student body admit that they would like to be able to cheat. Certainly, if Germantown Academy had the same reputation as Exeter or some of the other New England boarding schools, each of us would benefit from the increase in name recognition when we apply to institutions of higher education or enter the job market. Thus, we cannot oppose the concept of an Honor Code simply because we would like to have the opportunity to cheat. Thus, we cannot oppose the concept of an Honor Code.

As for the second argument, that confronting a friend or classmate about suspected cheating would cause an uncomfortable situation, we cannot ignore both the moral and academic implications of cheating in the interest of personal comfort. Put simply, cheating does not benefit anyone except for the student who is committing the dishonest act. Secondly, we also cannot overlook the fact that cheating is fundamentally dishonest and wrong. We cannot afford to allow dishonest activities to take place in our school every day. Therefore, while reporting a fellow student to the proper authorities may not be fun, it is in the best interest of everyone involved, including the GA community as a whole.

Granted not one hundred percent of the student body supports the concept of an Honor Code and thus, such a system would not be completely successful. However, over the course of a few years, the principles behind the system would gradually become more popular and the Code would become more effective. Therefore, it is imperitive that we institute an Honor Code and begin the process that would lead to a more cohesive and honest community. We cannot shy away from this debate because we do not want to tell on our friends or because we would like to cheat ourselves. Instead, we must assume that, under an Honor Code, cheating would not occur frequently at GA. With that supposition in mind, we should strive to institute such a code as early as possible. In the end, it is in the best interest of each and every one of us that GA achieves the goal of its Strategic Plan.


Keith has these great plans for an honor code to create a climate of trust in the school, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, what will it really do?

It would be great if we would all take the responsibility of upholding the standards and ideals of our school, but there will always be people who the break rules. Although signing the Honor code will supposedly bind us all by duty to good behavior it does not bind the offender to confess to the crime. So the honor code is left to be upheld by witnesses. First of all, there are not always witnesses. Even if there is a witness they have a decision to make, a tough one. There are those who will feel obligated to uphold the moral fabric of the school. These people will quickly be branded as "narcs"- and distrusted-- hardly Keith's goal. Then there are those who would rather remain quiet, thus avoiding confrontation. Now these people must decide between sticking their neck out to support the school or keeping quiet. Then there are your friends, stuck between your friendship and their duty. Certainly we should be willing to make sacrifices for the school, but we shouldn't be forced to give up the trust of our friends.

So what have will we have gained? Those who accept the school's version of right and wrong will be shunned socially while those who choose silence must fear punishment too. Yes, as soon as you know of an offense you are also at fault for not telling. This attempt at forcing conformity only works to strengthen the dilemma. It's not an easy position to be in especially at an age when friends mean so much. I doubt that many of us are willing to sacrifice the loyalty that comes with friendship for the ideals of the school. The bottom line is, when it comes time for us to vote on the honor code, don't vote in favor of it unless you're willing to tell on your friends.

What happens four years from now if the honor code has settled in place. Keith claims that the new blood will have come to accept it. It may come as some shock, but freshmen are just as opinionated as the rest of us. If the rules state that if they don't accept the school's policy then their option is not to come to GA, how do they explain that to their parents at fourteen? The result is that students signs it, but it means nothing more to them than signing the mission statement did.